Saint Joseph Parish: $1,159.00 from the Sunday envelopes; $99.00 from the second collection (plate); $200.00 from the Rice Bowl envelopes; $263.00 from the loose. Thank you.

Saint Vincent DePaul Parish: $1,065.00 from the Sunday envelopes; $77.00 from the second collection (plate); $141.00 from the Rice Bowl envelopes; $287.00 from the loose. Thank you.

TRINITY ACADEMY NEWS
Tuesday 31 March, will be “Bring A Friend To School Day.” All area children are welcome to enjoy a very friendly school-day experience with Trinity Academy children in their current grades. They will also be given the opportunity to step up” for a learning session at next year’s grade level. Pre-registration is required. Forms are available from the main office (462-3927) or can be downloaded from

In addition, families are always welcome to contact school officials to arrange a personal appointment, school tour and / or registration for the upcoming school year. Families of newly registered students are asked to present copies of their children’s baptism certificates, birth certificates, immunization records and Social Security card.

BLEENIES FOR SALE: TAKE-OUT ONLY!

Where? Annunciation Rectory, 218 W. Cherry Street, Shenandoah, PA 17976
When? Friday, 3 April, from 10:00 am to sellout
How much? $6.00 per dozen; $71.99 per gross

In addition to bleenies, you can also purchase haluski and frozen pierogies.
Always remember: A Shenandoah bleenie is a happy bleenie

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S PRO-ABORTION RECORD

[with thanks to Steve Ertelt]

THE FOLLOWING IS A COMPILATION of pro-abortion bill signings, speeches, appointments and other actions of President Barack Obama, dating from the day after he was elected up to the that have promoted abortion.

Post-Election / Pre-Inauguration
05 Nov 08 — Obama selects pro-abortion Rep. Rahm Emanuel as his White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel has a 0% pro-life voting record according to National Right to Life.

19 Nov 08 — Obama picks pro-abortion former Sen. Tom Daschle as his Health and Human Services Secretary. Daschle has a long pro-abortion voting record according to National Right to Life.

20 Nov 08 — Obama chooses former NARAL legal director Dawn Johnsen to serve as a member of his Department of Justice Review Team. Later, he finalizes her appointment as the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Legal Counsel in the Obama administration.

24 Nov 08 — Obama appoints Ellen Moran, the former director of the pro-abortion group Emily's List as his White House communications director. Emily's List supported only those candidates who favored taxpayer-funded abortions and opposed a partial-birth abortion ban.

24 Nov 08 — Obama puts former Emily's List board member Melody Barnes in place as his director of the Domestic Policy Council.

30 Nov 08 — Obama named pro-abortion Sen. Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State. Clinton has an unblemished pro-abortion voting record and has supported making unlimited abortions an international right.

10 Dec 08 — Obama selects pro-abortion former Clinton administration official Jeanne Lambrew to become the deputy director of the White House Office of Health Reform. Planned Parenthood is "excited" about the selection.

10 Dec 08 — Obama transition team publishes memo from dozens of pro-abortion groups listing their laundry list of pro-abortions actions they want him to take.

Post -Inauguration up to 17 March
05 Jan 09 — Obama picks pro-abortion Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as the chairman of the Democratic Party.

06 Jan 09 — Obama chooses Thomas Perrelli, the lawyer who represented Terri Schiavo’s husband Michael in his efforts to kill his disabled wife, as the third highest attorney in the Justice Department.

22 Jan 09 — Obama releases statement restating support for Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions and has resulted in at least 50 million abortions since 1973.

23 Jan 09 — Obama forces taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. His unilateral decision to overturn Mexico City Policy sends part of $457 million to pro-abortion organizations.

26 Jan 09 — Obama nominee for Deputy Secretary of State, James B. Steinberg, tells members of the Senate that taxpayers should be forced to fund abortions. Nominee erroneously says limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional.

29 Jan 09 — Obama nominates pro-abortion David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General.

12 Feb 09 — Obama nominates pro-abortion Elena Kagan to serve as Solicitor General.

27 Feb 09 — Obama starts the process of overturning the pro-life conscience protections President Bush had put in place to make sure medical staff and centers are not forced to do abortions.

28 Feb 09 — Obama nominates pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius to become Secretary of Health and Human Services.

05 Mar 09 — Obama administration shuts out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business, made the invitation list as did other pro-abortion groups.

09 Mar 09 — Obama signs an executive order forcing taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research.

10 Mar 09 — Obama announces the creation of a new foreign policy position to focus on women's issues. He names Melanne Verveer, an abortion advocate, to occupy the post.

10 Mar 09 — Obama reverses an executive order to press for more research into ways of obtaining embryonic stem cells without harming human life. The order Obama scrapped would have promoted new forms of stem cell research.

11 Mar 09 — Obama signs an executive order establishing a new agency within his administration known as the White House Council on Women and Girls. Obama's director of public liaison at the White House, Tina Tchen, an abortion advocate, becomes director of the council.

11 Mar 09 — Obama administration promotes an unlimited right to abortion at a United Nations meeting.

11 Mar 09 — Obama administration officials deny negative effects of abortion at United Nation's meeting.

17 Mar 09 — Obama makes his first judicial appointment and names pro-abortion federal Judge David Hamilton to serve on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

THE FOLLOWING IS A TRUE STORY! I AM NOT MAKING IT UP: I was at a small social gathering “south of the mountain” a few weeks ago. I overheard a woman say the following: “Oh, I’m so sorry I voted for Obama! I didn’t know that he was pro-abortion!”
Since the woman was not speaking to me at the time, I had no social obligation to reply to what she said. That was a mercy. You’ll be proud of me when I tell you that I kept my mouth shut. I just pretended not to hear. One of the advantages of wearing hearing aids is that people lower their expectations of you. They just presume you didn’t hear. That suits me fine.

MARY THERESA BARTASAVAGE GRIFFITHS,
a member of St. Vincent dePaul Parish, died on Saturday, 21 March.
Born on 22 March 1928, Mary was 80 years old at the time of her death.
(She died at about 9:00 pm, three hours shy of her 81st birthday.)
Mary is the daughter of the late Louis and Rosella (Ludavich) Bartasavage.
She has one brother, Joseph Bartasavage, who is deceased.
Mary was baptized at St. Casimir Church, Shenandoah, on 8 April 1928 by Fr. John Mickun.
She was married to Joseph A. Griffiths on 31 July 1948 in St. Vincent dePaul Church, Girardville, in the presence of Fr. Michael Daumantas.
Joseph died on 17 January 1991. Mary and he had been married for more than 42 years.
Mary has two children: Joseph P. Griffiths and Patricia Griffiths Dorner.
She has three grandchildren: Jennifer Griffiths Bono; Jason P. Griffiths; Christopher W. Dorner. She has two great-grandchildren: Madeline R. Bono; Julia G. Bono.
On Wednesday, 25 March, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, there was a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Vincent dePaul Church. The interment took place in the parish cemetery in Englewood.

Eternal rest grant unto Mary, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

STEVE CHUPA,
a member of St. Vincent dePaul Parish, died on Saturday, 28 March.
Born on 22 January 1920, Steve was 89 years old.
He is one of the nine children of the late Alex and Anna (Baran) Chuba.
His eight siblings are: Harry Chuba (deceased); John Chuba (deceased); Peter Chuba; Claire Chuba Suppanz; Helen Chuba Dopkin; Stella Chuba Lee; Mary Chuba Pucher; Anna Chuba Sussman.
Steve married Helen Sincavage on 12 May 1945 in St. Vincent dePaul Church, in the presence of Fr. Michael Daumantas.
Helen died on 13 December 2003. Steve and she had been married for more than 58 years!
Steve has a son, Stephen M. Chuba. He has two grandchildren: Matthew S. Chuba and Tamara Chuba Fink. He has one great-grandchild: Ryan C. Fink.
There will be a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, 1 April, at 11:00 am, in St. Vincent dePaul Church. There will be a viewing in the church for about two hours prior to the Mass. The interment will take place in the parish cemetery in Englewood.

Eternal rest grant unto Steve, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

WE SHARE THE MAIL
Note: God saw fit to give me ten beautiful nieces*, the youngest of whom is Clare O’Reilly. [She is, of course, my favorite niece, but we try to keep that confidential.] I thought Clare’s email to me and my reply to her might usefully fill this page of the bulletin.

Hi Uncle Ed!
This is your favorite niece Clare. Just wanted to let you know that I recently got engaged! Patrick and I went to New York City for a concert a couple of weekends ago. Before the concert he took me to St. Patrick's Cathedral, where he proposed.
I hope that you will be able to say the Mass! We do not have a date set yet, but, hopefully, it will be next May. I would like the ceremony to be on the beach and I was also thinking about having doves released it would be nice if you could release one of the doves????
Clare

Dear Clare:
I could pretend that I didn't know that you got engaged, but I would be lying and, as you know, I cannot tell a lie. Your Dad had told me about it before it happened, but swore me to secrecy. Patrick had gone to him to ask for your hand.
Let me introduce a note of caution here: Watch out for any man who asks for your hand! Before you know it, he'll be asking for your wrist, arm and shoulder — and, God help us, it won't stop there.
Your Dad even told me about the secret plan that Patrick was going to pop the question in St. Patrick Cathedral. How romantic! How sweet! How pious! It brought a tear to my eye!
I can't imagine that any man is worthy of you but I think Patrick comes closer than most. Tell him that I approve of him. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that.
As far as my offering your wedding Mass in May of 2010 is concerned, please let me check my calendar. (Please wait while I check my calendar.)
Okay, I'm back! You'll be happy to know that I just checked my calendar and find that I have nothing whatsoever to do in May of 2010, so I'm available! The usual family rates will apply.
As far as having the marriage ceremony on the beach is concerned, I don't see any problem with that. I just love doing weddings on the beach! Weddings in church are such a drag! The only problem is that I find it hard to keep my biretta firmly attached to my skull when there is a stiff breeze coming off the ocean, as is often the case. I’ll have to find a way to keep it from flying out to sea.
Your suggestion about having a dove release as part of the ceremony fills my heart with joy. I’m guessing that you have read something recently about my enthusiasm for doves in the liturgy. Listen! If we're going to release doves, let's not be satisfied with two or three. Let's release an entire flock!
The way we'll do it is this: I'll have a dove concealed underneath my chasuble. As soon as I officially pronounce that Patrick and you are husband and wife, the two of you can kiss, at which point I'll pull the dove out from under the chasuble, throw it up into the air and that will be the signal for someone to pull a string and release the whole flock! It will be spectacular! The seagulls will have a feeding frenzy!
Please remember to provide umbrellas for all in attendance.
My love to you and to Patrick!
God bless you.
Your favorite uncle,
Edward

That’s ten nieces. That does not include nieces-in-law, grandnieces and great-grandnieces, all of whom are remarkably beautiful.

THE SAINT PATRICK DAY PARADE: 21 MARCH 2009
This was my very first experience of the St. Patrick Day Parade in Girardville. I was looking forward to it. I just want to say that I enjoyed it immensely and am hopeful that I shall be around for a few more of the same.
The AOH deserves our gratitude and respect for all the work they put into making the parade a reality.
My personal thanks to a gentleman named Tim Smith who chauffeured me around town in his BMW convertible. Now I have some idea about how it feels to be Pope!